Unrelenting Past
by kichpu
Summary: (My first fic) Unable to return to the spirit world, Chihiro has resumed her life, but not without a new sense of expectancy. For 6 years, she's lived with the feeling that she left something behind unfinished. When she begins to have visions of past expe


Wow you've actually come to read my story?!?! I'm thrilled! Thoroughly surprised, I might add, but nevertheless thrilled! 

OK folks keep in mind that this is my first fanfic which I have actually deemed good enough to post online. Well, actually, I have no right to deem it worthy of anything, sense I'm pretty sure it sucks… but 

I'll leave that up to the reviewers to decide ^^

Oh well, even if it sucks, it is my first masterpiece ..::ahem::.. and so, I find that against my better judgment, I cannot help but love it unconditionally. (Aaaw… how sweet.)

Alright! ..::points finger::.. onward, readers! (whoa that looks even lamer than it sounds) 

~Kichpu~

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Upon hearing her name announced, the small but vibrant Japanese girl of 16 walked out onto the stage with confidence. She had shiny brown hair, which fell about her shoulders in layers, and hinted at traces of hazelnut and silver- natural highlights that had just recently begun to show themselves. She lifted her head, exposing large amber eyes that twinkled with excitement. Her slender figure made its way forward to center-stage. The audience members cheered her on as a familiar tune made its way into their ears. She took the microphone from its stand, making sure to grasp it with a death grip so as not to let it slip from her klutzy fingers. For a brief moment, she had to let the idea that _she was actually standing on this stage, participating in a professional teen idol competition, re-register itself into her mind. She took a deep breath and readied herself for the entrance into the song, and felt a rush of joy and adrenaline all at once, just before an unfamiliar pain settled into her being. She gasped in response to the cramping sensation that pierced through her chest. She began to sweat under the stage lights, barely aware that she had missed her cue. Her eyes scanned where the faces of the audience members should have been, but the spotlight was shining brightly on her, preventing her from discerning anything but the blurriness that surrounded her. She began to feel lightheaded as the large concert hall constricted around her. Her head was spinning, and the room, the people, everything, all merged into one and then disappeared._

She was in… a meadow. Long, green strands of grass shimmered with light as they were gently ruffled by the breeze. Stones of various sizes were scattered here and there, and to her right was an immense red building that housed a tunnel. She no longer felt pain in her chest… she no longer felt anything, except for a calm sense of serenity, accompanied by a faint underlying sense of foreboding. The latter was gone in a matter of seconds, however, as she allowed herself to indulge in her peaceful state of mind. 

A soft, trickling sound was coming from behind her. She about- faced to see a beautiful river. She knew that she had seen this river before… she knew this river. A familiar name quickly came to her mind but was lost, along with her, as she immersed her senses in the beauty of her surroundings. She found herself wanting desperately to feel the sparkling river's water between her toes. She imagined it caressing her bare feet, the ice- cold freshness of it sending tingles up her spine. She then looked down to find that she wasn't imagining the water at all. As if the river had fulfilled her silent request, she was now standing in it almost up to her ankles. She closed her eyes, and let deep feelings overtake her.

Suddenly, she felt a current kick in. It grew steadily, swifter and harder, until she was forced to leave her dream- like mental state to look down. She was surprised to find that the water was now up to her thighs, and rising steadily. She realized then that her legs were numb from cold, and wouldn't allow her to move. By now all sense of calm had left her, and been replaced with sheer panic, which was rising as swiftly as the water that now surrounded her torso. She tried again and again to move her legs out of the water, but they were void of feeling. She started to flail her arms out of instinct, but they were now numb as well, and felt like jelly underneath the water that was now up to her shoulders. 

"Help! Someone help me, please!" was all she could manage to cry out before her entire body was consumed by the river. 

She struggled to free her body but the numbness still bound her. She glanced upwards and could no longer see the surface. She lost all sense of direction. Which way was up? Which way was down? Waves of panic coursed through her. 

She was drowning.

She worked in vain to bring the feeling back into her body by wiggling back and forth, but it was no use. Nothing was working. She felt helpless. She _was_ helpless. Finally, she gave up the struggle, and let the river take her, for she had grown weak with trying to save herself, as well as holding her breath. She let out the last of her treasured air, which she had been fighting to hold on to this entire time. She watched her last hope of survival float upwards and away in the form of several little bubbles, never to be seen again. Her last thoughts were _'Oh please, don't let this be the end…'_

Suddenly, she felt a presence underneath her. Her body was lying on something, pressed against something. It was pushing her upwards, closer to life, closer to freedom. Whatever she was laying face down on was carrying her at a great speed; even though she was half unconscious, she could feel pressure against her back as the water pressed down upon her. It gave her the feeling of being squished. Her hand brushed against something soft… was it… hair? She willed herself to open her eyes for a split second, and caught a glimpse of shimmering jade and silver beneath her. The water stung her eyes, so she closed them again. 

Then she heard a great splash, and felt a warm, dry sensation on the back of her neck and bare arms. She felt as if she were soaring through the air. Coughing and sputtering, she allowed the water to be forced from her worn- out lungs. She took in breath after ragged breath- refusing to miss out on even a bit of the sweet source of life that was air. Her breathing was almost back to normal, and she realized that her hands were tightly grasping the soft substance she had felt before. She turned her head to the side and propped it up before prying open her eyes. 

And the last thing Chihiro saw were a pair of deep jade eyes, and a little pink shoe. 

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Soooooo… How'd ya like it? Good? Bad? 

………… Excellent? …………

 ..::chokes::.. (Yea right.) 

So tell me already!!!

Whoops I forgot, can't hear ya through the computer screen… I guess that means you'll just have to take that extra two minutes out of your busy schedules to click the little button and type up a review. 

(Oh, darn.)

So click the button already!

~Kichpu~

PS: Suggestions are, of course, always welcome.


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